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Sign Language For Babies & Beyond
http://tinyurl.com/75kcs48
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Baby beanies: The baby toy of all time?
Baby beanies haven't been around that much since they were "born" only in 1994 when Ty
Warner introduced the first baby beanies in the market. Not many people know that a baby beanie
or more officially known as beanie baby were first made by him. He made the baby beanie to be
more lifelike by giving it more air. In other words, there was less stuffing inside each baby beanie.
The usual baby toys were stuffed to the hilt and they were stiff. While Ty's beanie baby was half
filled with stuffing and half filled with beans. Hence the name beanie baby. Other competitors
sneered and said that his toys would not last long. But exactly the opposite is what happened!
Now, the "original nine" as they are officially referred to are the first nine baby beanies Ty Warner
made. These are the Spot the dog, Squealer the pig, Patti the platypus, Cubbie the bear,
Chocolate the moose, Pinchers the lobster, Splash the killer whale, Legs the frog and Flash the
dolphin. Collectors have dubbed them as such since these where the first baby beanies available
that were selling at less than $5.00 each. Each baby beanie comes with a short poem to introduce
it to the toddler. This was written on a red heart-shaped tag that is attached by the animal's ear.
Not much is known how many baby beanies are totally in existence since there are lines
developed that create a family of baby beanies. The most famous is the teddy-bear baby beanie
that was created. The basic pattern was just re-used and different colors were utilized to create a
family. Different names were given to each teddy bear in keeping with the tradition of having a
name. Some teddy bear baby beanies are usually used for commemmorative uses such as in the
Fourth of July or there is a Diana, the Princess of Wales have been made as a commemmorative
collector's item.
However, the official baby beanies were mostly animal shapes such as cats and pigs, dogs and
hippopotamuses. These are usually brightly colored and stylized to make them pleasing in the
eye. The official baby beanie comes with his or her own name. It has its own date of birth. And
most important of all, a short poem that describes its personality.
The baby beanie crazed happened in the late 1996 when a frenzied collection of baby beanies
started. This prompted Ty Warner to retire some of the baby beanies to hype up even more the
sales and marketing side of his products. There were people who bought wholesale in anticipation
of the possible future value of a single baby beanie. However, as with other fads that easily rise
and can be easily forgotten, the baby beanie craze was just another fad that quickly fizzled. Or
what the expectation of those "investors" did not materialize at all.
Inspite of what happened, baby beanies are here to stay since babies usually prefer soft toys that
they can easily hug and bite and hold easily in their hand. Baby beanies need not be in the same
family of baby beanies to be appreciated. A colllection of baby beanies show the kind of
personality the baby has or it speaks the kind of personality the giver has.